In #GlobalJustice this week: governments, civil society and legal professionals unite in their support for the ICC; UN Secretary-General condemns outbreaks of violence and attacks on peacekeepers in CAR; Hopes for new FARC peace deal in Colombia 'by Christmas'; Russia voted off UN Human Rights Council; Former senior military figures indicted in Guatemala for war crimes; DRC elections delayed until 2018 amid protests; Allegations of Nigerian officials abusing those displaced by Boko Haram; and much much more.

World rallies around the ICC as Gambia joins withdrawals

The Gambian information minister’s announcement last week that the West African country intends to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) is detrimental to many African victims of grave international crimes search for justice.

Citing a perceived anti-African bias in ICC prosecutions, the message mirrored rhetoric used by the governments of South Africa and Burundi, both of which have now delivered official notifications to the UN Secretary-General of their intent to withdraw from the Rome Statute system.

The volume of opposition to these withdrawals has only grown in recent weeks, with civil society and governments uniting to support the Court and its reforms in the light of criticism. Civil society was quick to point out that the Court is far from only focused on Africa. The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) was among those to question the rationale provided by the withdrawing African governments.

As many as ten African governments can already be counted on to continue their support for the Court and their divergence from the recent withdrawal announcements. Among these, Botswana and Sierra Leone have been especially vocal.